Alexander samuel greenwood



(No Model.)

. A. s. GREENWOOD.

CONVERTIBLE WIRE BASKET. No. 353,131. Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

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BY mum/h ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC ALEXANDER SAMUEL GREENWOOD, OF TORONTO,ONTARIO, CANADA.

CONVERTIBLE WIRE BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,131, dated November23, 1886.

Application filed August 13, 1886. Serial No. 210,828. (No model.)Patented in Canada May 29, 1884. No.10,452.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER SAMUEL GREENWOOD, of Toronto, Ontario,Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Convertible WVireBaskets, (for which I have obtained a patent in Canada, No. 19,452,dated May 29, 1884,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a convertible wire basket, which will behereinafter 'fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan view ofmy improved convertible wire basket. Fig. 2 is a perspective viewshowing the basket arranged as a hanging basket. Fig. 3 shows itconverted into a flower-pot stand for the table. Fig. 4 shows itarranged as a stand for out flowers. Fig. 5 shows it arranged as a standfor cake or for supporting a lamp, sad-iron, 8m. Fig. 6 shows the wirebasket arranged as an adjustable support for a lamp-shade; and Figs. 7and 8illustrate other forms into which the basket may be readilyconverted, and which will be hereinafter described.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A represents a ring or circleof wire of suitable diameter, which forms the base-ring of my improvedconvertible wire basket, and which may be braced in shape by two or morecross-bars, B B, of wire or other suitable material. These cross-wiresare not absolutely necessary to hold the base-ring in shape; but theyserve the double purpose of bracing the base-ring in its circular formand forming a bottom to the basket to stand a flowerpot, &c., on.

0 represents the side or main loops, which may be bent into the formshown in the drawings, or any modification thereof,and which are hingedon the base-ring separately by having both of their ends bent around it,as shown, and clinched into an eye, 0, so as to prevent them fromslipping off of the supporting basering. In the drawings I have shownnine of these side loops; but their number may be varied at will. Thesaid loops are hinged on the base-ring overlapping one another, asshown, so that oneloop cannot be moved without moving all of the loops,thus always insuring the perfect circular form or curvature of the sidesof the basket into whatever form it may be con verted.

D D' represent the series of small loops or rious other shapes and stilloperate freely. One

row or series may be made semicircular and the other pointed,as shown indottedlinesin Fig. 3.

The side loops moving on their hinged ends may all be pressed upward,inward, outward, or downward, so as to be altered from aglobe shape, asin Fig. 7, to a bell form, as in Fig. 8, with all the intermediateshapes and forms. Three or more long supportingwires, F, may have theirlower ends bent and clinched into eyes F, around intersecting points ofthe side loops, these supporting-wires enabling the basket to be hung asa hanging basket, while the pressure of the eyes helps to retain thebasket in whatever position it may be adjusted. When the hanging wiresare removed, the basket may be used as a flower-pot stand for the table,as illustrated in Fig. 3, by pressing the side loops either up or down,so as to form either a globe or hell shape, the basket resting on eitherof the rows of base-rings which happen to be on the bottom, beingpressed down at right angles to the base-ring to form a rigid supportfor the basket; or the basket may rest directly on its bottom with thebase-rings outspread to form a flat base. Again, thebottom row ofbase-rings may be placed at right angles to the base-ring and the sideloops pressed down until their points touch the table, the top row of.baseloops being closed in to form akind of net-work, as shown in Fig. 4of the drawings, so that cut flowers may be placed in the intersticeswith their stalks projecting through the bottom, and may thus bearranged in a graceful manner. A small dish of water may be placed onthe table and the basketso placed over it as to allow the stems of theflowers to rest in the water without wetting the basket, and when thewater requires changing it may be done without disturbing the flowers bylifting up the basket and the flowers with it, thus leaving the dish ofwater free to be removed and filled with fresh water and replaced. Theadvantage ofthis arrangement is obvious, as flowers will retain. theirfreshness and bloom for a long time, if not handled. Again, take out theflowers and press down the top row of small loops until they rest uponthe cross-bars,

as shown in Fig. 5, when the basket will form a neat, strong, andgraceful stand for cake, or for supporting a lamp, sadiron, 850. Bytaking out the cross-bars both rows of the baseloops can be closedaround the glass chimney of any lamp, as shown in Fig. 6, so as to fitany size chimney, and by placing a Japanese paper shade over the sideloops a neat lamp-shade is formed, which may be opened or closed so' asto throw the light down on the table or diffuse it around the room, asdesired. Again, the basket may be manipulated-to form a card-receiver,fruit-basket, bread-tray, cake-basket, and, if lined, will form a ladieswork-basket, and may be placed in many other shapes to suit various usesand fancies.

By making the eyes on the ends of the several loops larger or smaller,so as to fit loosely or tightly around the base-ring, the basket may bemade to work very freely or very stiffly. The base-loops are smallenough to close and pass entirely through the base-ring when thecross-bars are removed, so that both rows may be together either on topor on the bottom of the base-ring.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s

1. A convertible wire article comprising a ring or circle and apluralityof series of loops hinged to said'ring, the loops of eachseries being adjustable independently of the loops of the other series,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the base-ring, of

the cross-bars, and the side loops hinged upon base-loops hinged, asdescribed, upon and around the base-ring, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the base-ring, the double row of base-loops,and the side loops, of the suspension-wires, arranged as described.

7. In a-convertible wire article, the combination, with a base-ring orcircle, of a series of loops hinged independently to said ring andinterlocked, as described, whereby the relation of said loops will bepreserved in the different positions thereof, substantially as setforth.

ALEXANDER SAMUEL GREENWOOD.

Witnesses:

A. J. BURT, J. O. BURT.

